News

Apr 18, 2016 9:55:15 AM

The US has no national electricity grid. Instead, it has a patchwork of grids, operated as closed-off regional and local fiefdoms with little trade among them. One of the most important steps America can take to integrate more wind and solar power is to connect and expand those grids. California is trying to take a small step in that direction. In the process, it is revealing the kinds of political tensions that stand in the way of grid integration.

Apr 12, 2016 10:33:15 AM

SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA/FWB: S92) is acquiring a 27% stake in Tigo Energy, Inc. in the context of a capital increase. SMA is also obtaining exclusive rights for worldwide sales of the smart module technology TS4 Retrofit. The new TS4 product platform has various options that allow an increase in energy yield, the simplification of system planning and installation, fire safety, and cloud-based monitoring of system availability. The function options can be integrated easily into a solar module. Customer can thus adapt each individual solar module to their individual requirements. The strategic partnership with Tigo Energy gives SMA access to the fast growing market of module-level power electronics (MLPE) with an annual market volume estimated at approximately EUR 700 million. In addition, SMA will deploy the new solution for expanding its data-based business models.

Released by: Environment America Research and Policy Center

Release date: Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Mar 31, 2016 10:23:01 AM

The United States uses about 3.7 million gigawatt-hours of electricity each year. That’s an unfathomably huge number. But the next time someone tries to make the argument that 100 percent renewable energy is out of reach for the U.S., show them this image...

Mar 11, 2016 11:29:42 AM

While Nevadans were celebrating the holidays under solar-powered lights, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted unanimously to increase a monthly fee on solar customers by 40% while reducing the amount they get paid for excess power sold to the grid. Adding insult to injury, they made the rate changes retroactive, sabotaging consumer investments in solar energy.